Rod cleaning machine



bm .QN mw..

CQUGHEETY,

// ifo/Ways.

May 17, 1938. J. J. CAUGHERTY ROD CLEANING MACHINE Filed Nov. 27, 1956 Patented May 17, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 7 Claims.

This invention relates to cleaning machines and particularly refers to machines that mechanically remove scale and other surface impurities from metal rods or the like.

An object of this invention is to provide an inexpensive machine which rapidly and thoroughly removes the surface impurities from a r accompanying drawing in which:

Figure l is a plan of one embodiment of my invention.

Figure 2 is an elevation, partly in section, of the apparatus shown in Figure 1.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, the numeral 2 indicates a rod, or other continuous metallic object, which is being drawn along a predetermined course by any suitable means (not shown). Means such as sheaves 4, over which the rod 2 can be drawn, are secured to a vertical web of a supporting structure or member 6. The sheaves 4 are all held in one plane which preferably is vertical, as shown. The sheaves 4 are positioned so that one point on each of their circumferences is tangent to the fixed path of the rod 2. Means, such as an adjustable sheave I0, is placed between the first two of the sheaves 4 which the rod 2 passes when being drawn along its flxed path, and is adjustable or movable in the plane of the sheaves 4 so as to bend the rod 2 in the direction of the plane in which the sheaves 4 are secured. The sheave I0 can be secured to the web of member 6 by any suitable means, such as a slidable block 3. The position of the sheave I0 is varied by a cam-lever I2 .so that the amount of deflection of the rod 2 by the sheave I0 is readily controllable. T'he last two of the sheaves 4 cooperate to straighten the rod 2 after it has been bent by the sheave I6. 'I'he deflection of the -rod 2 by the sheave I0, cooperating with two of the sheaves 4, functions to crack and loosen the scale and other surface impurities on the rod 2. However, the scale is loosened principally only on the surfaces of the rod 2 that are distorted when the rod 2 is bent in the above described manner.

In order to completely loosen the scale on the rod 2. the rod is preferably distorted in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to the nrst distortion. To secure this distortion, means similar to the apparatus used to produce the first distortion are secured in a plane that is' at right angles to the plane of the sheaves 4. These means include sheaves I4 similar to the sheaves 4, and a movable sheave I6 controlled by a cam lever I 8 similar to the sheave I0 and the cam lever I2. The sheaves I4 are positively positioned in a horizontal plane, as shown in the drawing. Then, by the sheave I6 cooperating with the sheaves I4, the rod 2 -is bent in` a horizontal direction. By distorting the rod 2 in two directions that are substantially at right angles to each other, all of the outer surface of the rod 2 has been slightly distorted and the scale or other impurities there on has been cracked or loosened. 'Ihe rod 2 is again straightened when drawn by the last two of the sheaves I4.

Brushing means are provided to mechanically remove the loosened scale from the rod 2 and preferably are constructed and arranged in the following manner.

A mandrel 20, having an axial aperture 22 therethrough, is journaled in the supporting structure 8 and receives the rod 2 in the aperture 22. The rod 2 is positively positioned by a centering die 24 which normally is carried by the mandrel 20. Journaled in the mandrel 20 are shafts 26 which preferably are diametrically opposed. The shafts 26 are near the circumference of the mandrel 20 and mount pinion-gears 26 3 which project beyond the circumference of the mandrel 20. 'I'he pinion-gears 28 engage with an internal gear 30 that is fixedly associated with the supporting structure 8. Circular brushes 32, which preferably are made from wire, are secured on the shafts 26 and are adapted to bear upon the rod 2.

The mandrel 20 is rotated by any suitable means which, for example, includes a pulley 34 secured to the mandrel 20. 'Ihe pulley 34 is driven by suitable external means (not shown). When the mandrel 20 rotates, the shafts 26 are made to rotate by the pinion-gears 28 which are engaged by the internal gear 30. 'I'he brushes 32 are then rotated in relation to the mandrel 20 45 and mechanically clean the rod 2 as they bear upon the surfaces thereof. As the scale and other surface impurities have been loosened by the above described bending action, they are readily removed by the brushes 32. 50

'I'he rotational speed of the mandrel 20 and the brushes 32 is determined by the speed at which the rod 2 is drawn as the brushes 32 should contact the entire periphery of the rod 2 while the rod 2 is between the brushes 32.

While I have shown and described one specific form of my invention, it will be appreciated that various modications thereof can be made without deviating from the scope of the invention as dened in the appended claims.

1. Amachine for cleaning wire or rod moving in a xed path, comprising a pluralityof stationary sheaves secured in a vertical plane, at least one sheave vertically movable in said plane and adapted to bend said rod in a vertical direction, a plurality of stationary sheaves `secured in ahorizontal plane, at least one sheave movable in said horizontal plane and adaptedj to bend said rod in a horizontal direction, means for controlling the positions of said movable sheaves, a member provided with an internal gear, a mandrel journaled on said member, said member having an axial aperture therethrough in alignment with the path of said wire or rod, a centering die carried by said mandrel, a plurality ot diametrically opposed shafts journaled on said mandrel, pinion gears carried by said shafts and engaged with said internal gear, circular brushes secured to said shafts, said brushes being constructed and arranged to bear upon said wire or rod after it is drawn through said centering die, and means for rotating said manldrel.

2. A machine for cleaning wire or rod moving in a fixed path, comprising a plurality of stationary sheaves secured in a vertical plane, at least one sheave vertically movable in said plane at a point between two of said stationary sheaves and adapted to bend said wire or rod in a vertical direction, said stationary sheaves being constructed and arranged to straighten said wire or rod after it passes from said movable sheave, a plurality of stationary sheaves secured in a horizontal plane, a sheave movable in a horizontal plane at a point between two of said stationary sheaves, said last named sheave being constructed and arranged to bend said wire or I rod in a horizontal direction, said second named stationary sheaves being adapted to thereafter straighten said wire or rod, cam means for controlling the positions of said movable sheaves, a supporting element provided with an internal gear, a mandrel journaled on said supporting element, said mandrel having an aperture therethrough in alignment with the path of said wire or rod, a centering die for said wire or rod, said centering die being carried by said mandrel, a plurality of diametrically opposed shafts journaled on said mandrel, pinion gears carried by said shafts and engaged with said internal gear, circular brushes secured to said shafts, said circular brushes being adapted to bear upon said wire or rod after it is drawn through said centering die, and means for rotating said mandrel.

3. A machine for cleaning wire or rod moving in a fixed path, comprising a plurality of stationary sheaves secured in a vertical plane, at least'one sheave vertically movable in said plane at a point between two of said stationary sheaves and adapted to bend said wire or rod in a vertical direction, said stationary sheaves being constructed and arranged to straighten said wire or rod after it passes from said movable sheave, a plurality of stationary sheaves secured in a'horizontal plane, a sheave movable in a horizontal plane at a point between two of said stationary sheaves. said last named sheave being constructed and arranged to bend said wire or rod in a horizontal direction, said second named stationary' sheaves being adaptedto thereafter straighten said wire or rod,- cam means for controlling the positions of said movable sheaves, a supporting element provided with a stationary internal gear, a mandrelV journaled on said supporting element, said mandrel having an aperture therethrough in alignment with the path of said wire or rod, a pulley fxedly secured to said mandrel for driving the same, a centering die for said wire or rod, said centering die being carried by said mandrel, a plurality of diametrically opposed shafts journaled on said mandrel, pinion gears carried by said shafts and. engaged with said internal gear, and circular brushes secured to said shafts, said circular brushes being adapted to bear upon said wire or rod after it is drawn through said centering die.

4. A machine for cleaning wire or rod moving continuously in a fixed path comprising means for bending the wire or rod in planes perpendicular to each other, means for straightening the wire or rod thereafter, a supporting bearingmember provided with an internal circular gearrack, a mandrel journaled in said support, said mandrel having a tapered axially aligned aperture located therein through which the wire or rod is adapted to pass, means carried by said mandrel for automatically centering and guiding the wire or rod therethrough,I a pair of diametrically opposed shafts journaled in said mandrel, a pinion-gear carried on one end of each of saidA shafts and a circular brush carried on their opposite ends, said pinion-gears adapted to cooperate with the internal gear-rack of the support to revolve the shafts and brushes when the mandrel is driven and means for driving said mandrel.

5. The combination defined in claim 4 wherein the means for centering and guiding the Wire or rod is an annular removable centering-die positioned in the front end of the aperture of said mandrel.

6. The combination defined in claim 4, wherein the means for driving the mandrel is a beltdriven pulley mounted on one end thereof.

7. A machine for cleaning wire or rod stock moving continuously in a xed path comprising means for bending the stock in a vertical plane, means for bending the stock in a horizontal plane, means for straightening the stock thereafter, a supporting member having a bearing portion and an annular internal rack-gear housing, a' 

